Senior Planning Manager

HelloFresh; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

70% off HelloFresh or Green Chef boxes

Company pension scheme

Gym membership

Bupa private medical insurance (incl.

Mental health first aiders and an EAP

Nursery support scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Group Life Assurance

Job summary

HelloFresh in Derby is seeking a Production Planning Leader to own the UK production plan and drive a step change in planning maturity. You will oversee the planning team, balance efficiency with uptime, and work with site leadership to scale the workforce.

You will build a future-ready planning function, partner with BI and Operations, and deploy autonomous processes to optimise the schedule while meeting safety standards and KPIs.

Qualifications

• Experience forecasting labour and production needs for planning teams.
• Proven track record leading and coaching teams to higher performance.
• Advanced skills in Excel and Google Sheets; familiarity with AI tools for planning.
• Analytical mindset with data-driven decision making.
• Willingness to build and develop teams for future growth.

Responsibilities

• Own the UK production plan end-to-end, balancing efficiency and downtime.
• Scale hiring and manage labour requirements for the site.
• Plan ramp and seasonal calendar ahead of demand.
• Lead and coach the planning team, directing the CS4 Planning Manager and planners.
• Improve planning strategy using data and feedback to meet changing needs.
• Collaborate with BI, Operations and stakeholders to automate processes.
• Generate and analyse weekly/monthly KPIs and drive cost-saving initiatives.
• Ensure team compliance with Food Safety, Health & Safety and relevant standards.

Skills

Labour forecasting

People leadership

Advanced Excel/Sheets

AI in planning

Data-driven decision making

Team development

Education

Degree in supply chain management or related field

Job description

About The Team

The Planning team is the most data-driven team at HelloFresh: we plan, schedule and analyse the production of every box, and start the process of feeding the UK. With hundreds of thousands of customers relying on us to get the plan right, this is a role with real ownership and real impact.

What You Will Be Doing

Reporting into the site leadership, you'll own the production plan for the UK in its entirety, and lead the planning team. This is a role for someone who wants to build and elevate: to take a team through a step change in maturity, drive it to operate at its full potential, and make the plan as efficient and optimised as it can be. In your first year you will:

• Own the UK production plan end to end, working daily with the site director to balance efficiency, plan attainment, minimised downtime and flexibility.
• Own the planning structure for the site, and take full responsibility for scale hiring of our operational workforce, assessing labour requirements continuously.
• Own the ramp and the seasonal calendar, planning ahead rather than reacting to it.
• Lead, coach and elevate the planning team, the CS4 Planning Manager and the planning executives, holding them to the level their roles are set at and developing them towards it.
• Continuously improve the planning strategy, using data and feedback to adapt to changing business needs.
• Work closely with BI, Operations and wider stakeholders to automate processes, refine planning tools, and move work that shouldn't sit with the team away from it.
• Generate and analyse weekly and monthly KPIs across operational planning, identify trends and issues, and drive cost-saving initiatives.
• Own compliance for the team across Food Safety, Health & Safety and applicable standards (e.g. BRCGS, ISO).

Who You Are

• A strong background in production or labour planning, with proven experience forecasting labour and production needs.
• Real people-leadership experience: you've managed a team and coached individuals through their development, and you know how to raise a team's performance.
• A strong technical skillset, advanced in Excel and Google Sheets, with an understanding of AI and how to apply it to planning.
• Long-term orientation above all: you plan and build for the future rather than firefight, and hold a clear view of where the team and the plan need to be.
• Data-driven, with the analytical depth to base decisions on fact rather than instinct.
• A strong advocate for your team, able to protect and develop them while raising the bar.
• A degree in supply chain management or a related field is preferable.

What You Will Get In Return

• 70% off HelloFresh or Green Chef boxes
• Company pension scheme
• Gym membership
• Bupa private medical insurance (including dental & family cover options)
• Mental health first aiders and an employee assistance programme
• Nursery support scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Group Life Assurance

Location: The Windmill, Unit 2 SmartParc, Derby, DE21 7HW

To be considered for this role, you’ll need to have the independent right to work in the UK, as we're unfortunately unable to provide sponsorship at this time.

Hybrid Working Policy

We offer a hybrid working policy for eligible roles, allowing flexibility to work from home and in the office.

You are required to cooperate with HelloFresh in all health and safety matters. You are responsible for ensuring you take reasonable care of your own health, and safety as well as others who may be affected by the work activities you undertake. You must report incidents immediately and actively raise health and safety-related concerns to your Line Manager. As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and secure environment, we will process Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks to the successful individual. Failure to disclose relevant information at application or throughout the process could affect your employment with the company. If you are currently a HelloFresh employee, please make sure you have discussed your application with your Line Manager.